Don't own Chuck

Sheila spent most of the night sitting in the bar of the hotel thinking over in her head what she should do. She couldn't help but feel responsible for getting Martin killed and now Ettore was sitting up in his room fat, dumb and happy laughing at her. This just wasn't fair by any standard and it was eating at her. The Manager went over to her after her presence was brought to his attention.

"Excuse me but we really need to clean up in here Miss so I'm afraid you're going to have to move to the lobby. Are you waiting for someone? It's kind of late can I call you a taxi?"

"I'm thinking," said Sheila as she looked up at him. "Wait a minute are you the Manager here? You're just the man I need to talk to."

"Excuse me why do you want to talk to me," he said as he looked down at her. "I don't think I'm your type and we don't permit that type of activity here in the hotel."

"No you don't understand," said Sheila as she pulled out her badge and laid it on the table. "Pull up a chair and let's talk about Martin LaBlanc and why his body was found in an alley behind this hotel."

"Martin who? I'm sorry I have no idea who that is," said the Manager. "If you want to stay here then you're more than welcomed to." He tried to get away but she wasn't going to let him.

"Really you're going to stand there and tell me you didn't know him when he's got you on the payroll as his CI. He also told the people in my office that he was coming here when he left the office yesterday then shortly afterwards his body was found in the alley behind here. You can talk to me or you can talk to police but if you talk to them who's to say that word won't get back to the wrong ears then you become a liability."

"I can't say anything because if I do I will become a liability," said the Manager as he started to sweat and look around making sure no one was watching or listening in on them.

"Well suit yourself but when the police take you out in cuffs it will be too late. We can make this informal and whatever you tell me will be off the record like everything you told Martin. He kept copious records of your conversations." Not really but she wanted to put the fear of God in him and it worked.

"Off the record then but how do I know you're not recording this conversation and will use it against me later?" said the Manager as he did another check around the room.

"You can look in in my purse if you want and do you think I have any room in this dress to hide anything?" she said as she showed him the inside of her clutch.

"Okay but wait a minute," said the Manager. He went over to the bar and grabbed a bottle of Pyrat cask then came back. He poured two glasses putting one in front of her. "What do you want to know?"

"There's no way Martin would've gone into that alley so how did his body get put in there? Something tells me that it was moved from where he was killed and that some place is here in this hotel, am I right?"

"He was found dead in the penthouse by our security and we moved the body," said Martin as he talked into his glass. "Then we sanitized the room so if you're thinking about searching it go ahead but you won't find anything. Our cleaners are very efficient."

"Is Ettore La Barba staying in the penthouse? And this cleaning service is something you have in place for him?"

"That's a two part question so first yes Señor La Barba is our guest in the penthouse but the service has been in place in this hotel since… well for a long time. But you haven't asked me the most important question."

"And what question is that?" asked Sheila. She couldn't figure out if she liked or disliked this guy. His answers were frank but it was like he didn't realize he and his hotel were accomplices in these homicides. Or if he did he didn't care either way he seemed detached and cold. "I'm sorry you were saying there was a question I should ask."

"Yes and a fundamental one was Señor La Barba in his room when Señor was killed? The answer is no when Martin was killed Señor La Barba was out of the hotel. He didn't come back until later after the room was sanitized."

"He could've slipped in the back then gone out the same way so when he showed up later it only appeared that he just arrived giving himself an alibi.

"That could be true only if the hotel had a back entrance but unfortunately we don't. In fact it is one of the things that the fire marshal is always on us for. He's threatened to close us down quarterly but every time he tries to put it into practice someone loses his paperwork. The only thing that has gone up in flames is the fire marshal's home so this should tell you someone doesn't want this hotel shutdown."

"I see and is that what makes you so sure the police won't charge you with interference," said Sheila as she took a sip.

"Agent Swanson," said the Manager. "If you go to the police with what I told you then with all probability it will be you who will charged with interference. If you don't believe me then go right ahead. I don't know why Martin was in Mr. La Barba's room. Normally he was very scrupulous in his activities but I'm willing to bet it had something to do with you."

"I don't understand what you're talking about. I'm still looking at Ettore for Martin's death whether he was or wasn't in the hotel. He could've easily hired a hitman to take care of poor Martin. One shot sounds like a professional."

"One shot to the chest sounds sloppy. A professional would've put one in the head for good measure. I've become a little bit of an expert over the years. But really 'poor Martin'? You really didn't know you agent that well. Listen what I'm about to tell you has to stay between us because if it gets out you and I both will find bull's eyes on our backs."

"Go ahead," said Sheila as she held out her empty glass and he filled it. "I'm waiting or can't you pour and talk at the same time."

"Okay, your Martin paid me as a CI but he was an informant for Señor La Barba and had been for a long time. Your old Chief the one who died in another mugging gone wrong… well I overheard Martin telling someone where he was going to be then the next day the man was dead so you do the math."

"That's impossible. Why would Martin betray everything he... we believe in and for what money? I don't understand. You must be mistaken or you heard wrong."

"I think what you're experiencing is called denial I should know I was taken to enough psychiatrists as a child. The diagnosis was I suffer from reduced affect display if you haven't figured it out. But getting back on topic not that I can say for sure but sometimes people come in here and blow off steam and to get hammered. That's what Martin used to do regularly after his wife left him taking his kids with her. From what he said I take it she'd asked and got a rather high alimony along with child support. The truth is she was milking him dry so he had to come up with some way to get her money."

"That sounds horrible so what you're saying is it wasn't in Ettore's interest to take Martin out because he was already on the take working for him."

"I think that pretty much sums it up in a nutshell. But think about it. Why would Señor La Barba eliminate the one guy who was reporting what you people were up to? It doesn't make sense."

"If what you say is true no I guess it wouldn't," said Sheila as she turned up her glass then had him fill it one more time. "So if Ettore didn't do Martin then who did and why?"

"This is pure speculation on my part but there are other players floating around," he said as he made a mental note not mention the five bodies in the elevator. "People who are out to get Señor La Barba. You see he has a lot of good qualities but he has been known to... well to be blunt piss people off in business. From what I understand if he stabs you in the back it's usually with a real knife…"

"So people in his circle don't like him. What does that have to do with Martin? Can you be a little clearer?" she asked as she sipped.

"I'm trying. You see these people from time to time send mercenaries and assassins to... how do you say it, eliminate him with extreme prejudice…"

"I think you're thinking about the CIA or one of those other American acronymic agencies," said Sheila as she sipped on her rum. She was starting to feel a little light headed so she slowed down now.

"Whatever," said the Manager as he took a sip. Suddenly his throat was dry and he needed the drink. "What I'm saying is if Martin was in the wrong place at the wrong time he could've run into one of these killers and they could've taken him out."

"So what are you saying is he could've gotten himself killed simply because it was a bit of bad luck? I don't know if I can buy off on that."

"Do you know what Occam's razor is? It states that when examining a multitude of possibilities the simplest one is usually the right one. Or have you got a better story that matches all the points I've told you?"

"No I guess not. Listen I'm going to go home get cleaned up then change. After that I'm coming back to have a chat with Ettore and if I find out you've given him a head's up then you and I are going to have a problem. Do you understand?"

"Sure no problem but if you make me your CI and put me on your payroll then I'd have a financial interest in keeping my mouth shut."

"I'll see what I can do," said Sheila as she got up. "You can call me that taxi now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning arrived early Alex woke up slowly with a head that just wouldn't stop aching. She couldn't remember getting in bed or much of anything after drinking that bottle of wine with her meal. She rolled over to find Morgan still snoring next to her. At first she was scared then looked under the covers and they both still had their clothes on.

"Phew, but what happened to me," she asked herself. "One small bottle of wine shouldn't make me feel like death warmed over." The chalk taste in her mouth and dry throat were clear signs she'd been drugged. However, the question was why.

There was a knock on the door then the sound of the key being turned in the lock. A servant lady came in and laid out fresh clothes for them both then left.

"What time is it," asked Ettore still pretending to be Morgan. "That's right we don't have watches but it must be early. I had a dream about us being intimate together..."

"That's good was it in techno color considering how many cameras there are in this room," said Alex as she got up looking over her clothes. She picked them up then went into the bathroom. "You can put on your floor show in here while I use the bathroom so far I haven't found any cameras in here," she said as she closed the door then she yelled back. "And I'd better not you bunch of perverts. Would you do this to your mothers and sisters?"

"I hope whoever is watching doesn't answer because I don't think we'd like the answer. Or at the least it would be a little unsettling."

"You're probably right," said Alex from the other side of the door. "Morgan, how do you feel? I ask because I've got a really bad headache..."

"It's probably caused by the stress of being cooped up in here or you could be coming down with something."

"So you feel fine nothing wrong? No dry raspy sensation in your throat," asked Alex through the door. Maybe she was coming down with something.

"No, I'm perfectly fine as a matter of fact I wish they'd hurry up and bring us our breakfast. I'm getting a little hungry.

"You're always hungry," said Alex as she started to walk out then for some reason she crack the door instead and spied on him. But she couldn't get out of her head why they'd drug her and seemingly do nothing to Morgan. It just didn't make sense.

"You're right I was born with a fast metabolism," he said as he took off his shirt with his back to her. She saw his hairy back or as he called is her wooly carpet. She felt silly doing what she was doing then she saw his front in the mirror he was standing in front of.

"Oh crap," she said without thinking. She closed the door quickly putting her hands over her mouth to keep from being heard but it was too late.

"Oh crap what? Is something wrong in there? Do you want me to come in?" asked Ettore hoping this was his big chance.

"No, no stay out please. It's well... hum it's that today's my Mom's birthday and we were going to take her out to your favorite restaurant that French place."

"Right that French place but no I was going to let your Mom pick her own place. After all it's her birthday but I guess that's a mute issue now that we're stuck in here."

"Yeah I guess you're right," said Alex back. Her mind was racing now she sat on the toilet with her hands over her mouth. She didn't know what to do. This Morgan didn't have a scar from when Dale shot him and her mother's birthday they celebrated a month ago. The French restaurant was her mother's favorite place and if it'd been up to Morgan they would've dined at the under ten dollar buffet at Sizzling Shrimp his favorite place.

"What a fool I've been," thought Alex as she sat there trying to figure out her next move. She had to play along that was for sure until she could do something. However, when she jumped she had to make sure that whatever she opted for had to succeed because from that point on Ettore would know she knew.

"Hey are you okay in there," said Ettore as he knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you decent? May I come in?"

"No stay right where you are," she said as she flushed the toilet then started running the water in the sink. "I'll be out in a minute. Have they brought us our breakfast yet?"

"I hear someone at the door right now," yelled Ettore. "Yes it's here. Actually it looks good eggs over easy with bacon and toast. There's also coffee and fresh orange juice. If you don't hurry up I'm going to eat your bacon."

"You touch my bacon mister and I'll have to break something. You can have your pick of what you want broken," said Alex as she came out of the bathroom. Ettore started to pass her a plate.

"Hey wait a minute buddy didn't your mother teach you to wash your hands before handling food. Get in that bathroom now march," she said. "Just because we're in the wilderness doesn't mean we have to act like animals."

As soon as he was gone she thought about switching plates but then she remembered the cameras and stopped. If she went through with it she'd be caught on film if not seen.

"A-ha," she heard from behind her. "So who's trying to steal my bacon," said Ettore as he walked up behind her and put his arm around her. She felt disgusted.

"I guess I'm caught," said Alex. She felt his breath on her neck and it was all she could do not to take the plastic fork they'd given them and shove it in his eyes but she needed to let this slide off so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she turned around. "I was just thinking about your poor arteries and wanted to keep them from getting clogged up."

"So you were thinking about my health. I should thank you," said Ettore. "If you give me a kiss I'll give you my bacon."

"I really don't want it that badly and besides we need to keep our energy up. I was thinking maybe we should rush them the next time someone comes through the door. We've been passive for long enough. "

"What good would that do? So we get out of here but then where do we go? I've seen what's on the other side of that door which is a big house with a lot of guards. We wouldn't get very far."

"I never said it was a perfect plan. So what do you suggest? Come on Morgan constructive criticism means you tear down my idea and come up with one of your own. So far I'm hearing how none of my ideas will work but I'm not hearing any suggestions."

"Well let's eat first then talk about it afterwards," said Ettore. She'd backed him into a corner now he had to come up with a way to break out of his own prison cell.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Morgan got up early took a shower then walked out in the common room. He made coffee then went to the window that looked out over Bogotá and stood there admiring the view. From all the way up where they were it looked like any other big city with modern buildings that stretched out as far as the eye could see. The eye sore of the Ciudad couldn't be seen from here lying strategically to the back side of the hotel where there were no windows to look out at it or as had been planned 'out of sight out of mind'.

"You know standing in front of that window you're making yourself an easy target. So if you want to continue the saga of being the bullet magnet keep it up there moron."

"No thanks John," said Morgan as he quickly moved away closing the curtains. "I made coffee if you want some. I thought you were supposed to bring up something to eat last night. I went to bed hungry and had a hard time going to sleep."

"If that's true then who had the chainsaw going in your bedroom last night. I thought they were trying to cut down the Amazon rain forest."

"Funny John. So are we going to get room service or are we going to go down to the restaurant? I don't want a continental breakfast I want real food. I guess a Nevada omelet is out of the question but a couple eggs with toast and coffee they should be able to throw together."

"I don't know," said John as he looked at the menu in the room. "I think you're going to have to take whatever they bring up."

"Ettore La Barba wants eggs and he's going to get eggs," said Morgan. He picked up the hotel phone and called down to the front desk.

"Front desk," said the man half-asleep. "Juan speaking how may I help you? …. Yes, Señor La Barba of course I know who you are," said Juan as he looked over at his colleagues. The name La Barba woke them all up.

"Yes Señor of course I speak English but I also speak Italian if you want? … Okay I'm keeping my mouth shut. One second Señor," said the man as he looked at his friends.

"Quick someone throw me a pen and paper." One of his colleagues passed him what he needed. "Okay I'm ready. … Two eggs sunny side up with bacon and hash browns along with toast and coffee. …. Yes, I've got that and for your friend? … He wants a short stack with extra crispy bacon along with coffee and orange juice. I'll make sure they get this in the kitchen right away," said Juan as he hung up.

"Juan what was that all about?" asked one of his friends.

"This is Mr. La Barba's breakfast order. He wants room service this morning just… well what's a short stack? A short stack of what?"

"Let me see that," said the Manager as he came out from the back taking the piece of paper from Juan's hand. "Pablo come here," said the Manager. He handed the boy some money and keys. "Take the hotel's scooter make a run over to McDonald's and give them this piece of paper. Tell them the two orders are to go and once you have them bring them back straightaway now go."

"Juan," said the Manger as he turned back to him. "When he gets back take the orders in the back put them on our plates. Put a carafe of coffee and orange juice on the cart then have one of the busboys run it up to Señor La Barba with our compliments."

"You don't think he'll notice?" asked Juan nervous because Ettore knew his name now.

"That's why you're reception and I'm management. Now go get the cart ready for when Pablo gets back. The rest of you why are just standing around doing nothing? I suggest you get to work or you'll be looking for work somewhere else."